Those two words best describe last week's opening weekend of deer hunting. It wasn't just the Northwoods struggling. Every county in the state was down from last year's totals. Several factors caused the drop.

"With winds gusting near 20 m.p.h. people were not sitting in the woods as long," DNR wildlife technician Eric Borchart explains. "Also our dder numbers are lower than a year ago."
The harsh spring suffered this year was the cause of that.

According to preliminary numbers from the DNR, Oneida, Lincoln, Langlade, and Florence coutnies were among many in the area which had a drop of between 26 - and 47%. Vilas county only suffered a 10% drop in the number of deer kills. Iron county saw one of the highlest drops in the state - 61%. In all - Wisconsin had a drop of 17.8 percent.

But that doesn't mean everyone was getting skunked. Steve Schultz of Twin Lakes knocked down an 8-pointer on Sunday in Marathon County.

Derek Storms of Shiocton shot a one-pointer near Three Lakes on Saturday.

"I call it a unicorn," Storms jokes. "Becasue it's only got one spike. Not a traditional spike buck. A mystical creature."